Healthy Habits Our Kids Love

Children are masters of ritual (ask any parent whose kids can recite Dora the Explorer from memory!). You can use their delight as a way to instill healthy habits you'd otherwise be inclined to preach about, such as eating veggies and going to bed on time. Take a cue from health experts whose family traditions have developed all kinds of good habits. The key, as these parents learned, is to disguise the lessons as fun.

"Dinner as a family? Fat chance."

More than 3 in 5 parents wish that their families spent more time dining together, according to a Harris Interactive poll. And teens who eat with family five nights a week are less likely to use drugs, finds a Columbia University study.

What the expert does: Talk it up Make your time together more meaningful. What new, good things happened to you today? is how Alice Domar, PhD, and her husband start conversation with their 6- and 11-year-old daughters at dinner. "We call it 'News and Goods'—it forces us to think positively about our day," says the director of the Domar Center for Complementary Healthcare in Waltham, MA. "We instituted it 2 years ago; now our youngest insists on it every night."

What the expert does: Have a "mocktail" Unwind after dinner with a hot cup of antioxidant-rich tea, suggests Bernard Levin, MD, a professor of nutrition at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. "When my children were frustrated by homework or chores, a soothing drink together created a relaxing pause," says Levin, whose two children, now in their 20s, still request teatime when they come home.

"They think chocolate is a food group."

Children get almost 500 calories a day from candy, cookies, and snacks, according to a study in the Journal of Pediatrics. This may set them up for diabetes later in life.

What the expert does: Try a blowout day "Our daughter usually has fruit after dinner, but once a week we go all out for 'Sunday Sundaes,' our term for any dessert—ice cream, cheesecake, pie," says Tieraona Low Dog, MD, director of education at the University of Arizona's Program in Integrative Medicine. "She doesn't feel deprived because she can look forward to the weekend."

What the expert does: Use the 10% rule Dessert is a nightly ritual in the home of Joy Bauer, RD, whose kids are 6, 9, and 12. "But the rule is that 90% of what they eat has to be healthy—10% is left for fun," says the author of Joy Bauer's Food Cures. "If they use their 10% for french fries at dinner, they get fruit for dessert. Or they can save the 10% for a slice of cake or cookies."

Some kids won't eat any-thing green; others like only PB&J. But experts agree, growing bodies need a varied diet. Studies show it can take up to 15 tries for a child to accept a new food.

What the expert does: Celebrate culture Each Christmas Eve, David Katz, MD, MPH, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, and his family prepare cuisine from a different country. "We pore over recipes and make food together," says the father of five, ages 7 to 18. "The kids' sense of ownership has made them eager to try Spanish paella, Japanese seaweed salad, and Indian curry!"

What the expert does: Encourage an adventure Debra Waterhouse, MPH, RD, and her son play a dinner game they call "Around the World": The 7-year-old takes forkfuls from various "geographic locations" around his plate. "I direct him to Asia, then to the North Pole; eventually he tries everything—even vegetables!" says the author of Outsmarting the Female Fat Cell.

"We're couch potatoes."

A whopping 75% of kids fail to get 1 hour of daily exercise, upping their risk for obesity and disease.

What the expert does: Get down and party "On Friday nights we roll up the living room rug and have family dance parties," says Dr. Katz—and everyone takes a turn as DJ. "It gets our hearts pumping and blows off tension." Small family? Invite your kids' pals.

What the expert does: Invent a game Mehmet Oz, MD, often plays "ball tag" with his two youngest kids. "I kick a soft ball and if it hits them, they're frozen until a sibling tags them," says the professor of cardiac surgery at Columbia University. "It gets us sweaty, and they learn to work together." (Get more Dr. Oz advice with Dr. Oz's Secrets to Great Health.)

"Bedtime? Huh? What?"

Most kids fall 1 to 2½ hours short of the amount of sleep recommended for their age group, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Studies show that sleep deprivation can cause behavior problems, poor grades, and obesity.

What the expert does: Have show-and-tell Rather than telling the usual bedtime story, Dr. Oz quizzes his kids about science or geography. "They look forward to bedtime because they can show off their knowledge," he says.

What the expert does: Sign off with style Susan Newman, PhD, author of Little Things Long Remembered: Making Your Children Feel Special Every Day, had a unique good-night signal for each of her five now-grown children. "One got two kisses on the head and one on the nose," she says. "There were slight modifications for each of the others."

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Prevention participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.